San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-04-12


Bretton's eyes. 1t was pouring in at the
western window of the room they now en-
tered, bringing out all the color that was
left in an old Turkey carpet, and hang
ings that had once been crimson. and was
lighting up with especial radiance the
head OF young girl who was standing at
a table covered with flowers, and who
turned as they entered, uttering little
cry Of vexation.
She was lovely girl-Mark Breton
saw that in an instant, and her loveliness
was rather set off than decreased by the
faded serge gown she wore, against the
neutral tints Of which her beauty, deli
cate yet strong like that Of lily, stood
out in charming relief.
"0h, aunt Anna, is that really Mr.. Bret
toni" she cried, putting her hair back
from her eyes with the backs of her little
wet hands, and speaking in a sweet loud
voice like boys. "Oh, why didn't you
wait until the next train, Mr.. Brettonf-
These were for your study. You ought
not TO have seen them until they were
fnishedp
She had a number Of plates ard fiat
dishes before her which were filed with
moist sand, and she had been piling these
skilfully with masses of primroses and
wood anemones. The whole room was
sweet with the faint scent of the prim-
roses.
Marked looked again curiously at her.
She spoke like nice frank boy, but she
was a grown up girl, a young lady six
teen or seventeen years old he decided,
taking a rapid survey of her slender
nymph- like shape, her glory of thick fair
hair, her great serious brown eyes, like
two lambert stars. Something however
in her unconscious fearlessness of demean-
or made her stand out at once in his
remembrance from host of other pretty
girls.
sand you were taking all this trouble
for me, Miss"
Mark paused, and looked up at Lady
Anna.
"This is my little daughter sibyl, Mr..
Breton" Lady Anna said, answering the
look, "or Miss Kennedy, as / think we
must begin to call her now
81 can't shake hands, because my fin
gers are in such n mess" said Sibyl,
nodding in friendly way at the young
man; "and please don't mind aunt Anna.
Call me Sibyl, as all the other boys did"
"Mr. Breton will not thank you for
calling him boy, Sihyl interrupted La
dy Anna, smiling as she saw Marks quick
change of color.
"Why mott said Sibyl. genuinely as
tonished. She turned and looked up at
him over her last dish of primroses.-
SLOW old are you theni You don't look
much older than Dick Fanshawe; and he
didn't mind being called a 10y. But of
course 1 won't say it again if it vexes you.
That would be bad beginning! l would
rather be friends"
She went on rapidly with her work as
she spoke,wh Mark, to his unspeakable
chagrin, felt himself blushing more boy
ishly than before.
at is very good of you to be doing this
for me, Miss Kennedy" he stammered at
last.
"Oh, this is nothing!" she answered
frankly. "But it did take me a long time
to gather the primroses, and now am
afraid you don't care for them after all"
"why should you think me 50 migrate
full" demanded the young man.
Lady Anna was at her davenport, max
ing complicated entries about her eggs in
a little red book.
~ don't think you ungrateful." Sibyl
looked up again, somewhat surprised. ~
said thought you did not care about the
primroses. The other-I mean the boys
used always to like to have me put flowers
in the study; but 1 suppose grown-up
men don't care about such foolish things.
Do they3"
~ hope am not quite so grown-up as
all that" protested Mark, recovering him
self. and speaking with some of the ease
of manner on which he rather piqued
himself. 81 really think, if you will con-
slider me boy like the Others it will be
much pleasanter-for me at least"
"How can 1 when you are mott" asked
the girl, who was sweeping her refuse
leaves and stalks into a big sunburnt bas-
ket. Besides, | think should like to talk
to man for a change; only-perhaps you
won't care to talk to me-"
81 am sure that nothing could give me
greater pleasure" declared Mark a little
stiffiy.
He was thinking within himself that,
Of all the outrageous firts that he had
ever met this girl with the candid eyes
and brow beat them hollow. And there
was Lady Anna quietly counting on her
fingers, and letting her niece, or daughter,
or whatever she was, run on.
II can see one difference already" said
Sibyl quietly. "The boys never said one
thing and meant another, as you have
Just done. You don't suppose that l want
to be bother to yOu2 Aunt Anna warn
ed me that very likely you wouldn't care
to take me about with you as Ned and
Dick and Charley did; and / am sure l
don't want you to do it, if you would rath-
err not. So please don't look so stiff, Mr..
Brettonr
She took up her dishes of primroses and
got to the door, which the young man
FASTENED to open for her.
81 appear to be very unfortunate in my
remarks" he observed with no percepti-
Bile decrease of stiffness.
Sibyl laughed.
al dare say shall get used to it after
ITO be C0ntiausdl